Crowie's Fit Zone

Catch up with Crowie: The road to the Ironman 70.3 World Championship 2013

Despite racing in fewer races Crowie has made the most of all of them to prepare him for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and the World Championship in Kona later in the year. He’s finished on the podium in all races, grabbing a third place finish in Melbourne and then going on to win Hawaii, Kansas, and most recently, Lake Stevens. Can the world’s fittest 40 year old make it four wins for 2013 and his third 70.3 World Championship heading into Las Vegas?

Craig came close to adding a third Ironman 70.3 World Championship to his trophy cabinet last year but lost out to German Sebastian Kienle who was just too strong on the bike. He also had a disappointing race by his standards in Kona, watching compatriot Pete Jacobs win while he came in twelfth. 2013 is his chance to show the world why he’s one of the sports fiercest and frightening competitors. If the first half of this year is anything to go by expect a strong showing by Crowie in Las Vegas. He has had podium finishes in all four of his races and won three of them. It’s a small sample size but that’s not a bad conversion rate, and besides, his past results show this is no fluke.

Ironman 70.3 Melbourne 2013 was a momentous occasion for the Alexander family as they welcomed a new member, baby girl Lani-May, on the Tuesday before the race.

“I thought about my new baby a lot. I have got no excuses. Everyone knew what day the race was,” he told reporters. “I think what happened on Tuesday this week was one of the best things that has ever happened in my life.” In his first race since Kona 2012 Craig placed a respectable third behind Belgium’s Marino Vanhoenacker and Spaniard Eneko Llanos.

Craig got his first win of 2013 in Ironman 70.3 Hawaii with a dominating performance, finishing a massive seven minutes over Paul Matthews. Defending world champion Pete Jacobs didn’t seem too troubled by his leg injury at first having taken the lead in the swim. His lack of fitness would eventually catch up to him as he faded away. Crowie made his move on the bike and literally ran away with the victory on the run course.

All the talk leading up to Ironman 70.3 Kansas was centred on the participation of one former two-time Superbowl champ, Hines Ward, but it was Crowie who soared above all to take his second win in as many weeks. Daniel Bretscher tested him all the way but Crowie stood up to the challenge finishing just a little over a minute over the American.

Lake Stevens could not stop Crowie as he made it three wins in a row. It was not an easy race by any means with three-time winner Luke Bell leading at one point and constantly breathing down Craig’s neck. On the run, Craig’s immediate opponents were Bell and Elliot Holtham, with only one second separating the three. Holtham eventually faded away from the two Australians about halfway through. Bell held on and made it a close battle, but we all know how frightening Craig is on the run and he showed that to win his third race of the year.

We’re pretty sure Crowie won’t like us making bold predictions. Just don’t be too surprised to see one Craig Alexander standing at the top of the podium in Las Vegas in September.